Speaking Without Words
by Original Blue
Summary: It's weird, but... ninjas fall in love too. Collection of one-shots. Pairings by request, so comment please. Rated M to be safe. LATEST UP: HANABIxHINATA.
1. Shikamaru & Temari

**12/15/09**

**I'll start dating each chapter/edit so that people know when I'm talking about, just in case something hasn't come out in the manga/anime yet. ^^**

**This is just a random collection of Shipping Ficlets between Naruto characters. Some of them will be in the same universe, but I'll deviate depending on my mood.**

–**Blue**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.**

* * *

**Speaking Without Words**

**Chapter 1: ShikaTema**

**by Rachel Poulson**

––––––––––

Temari crossed her fingers and walked into the Dean's office, her black shoes tapping on the linoleum. _I do not deserve to be suspended; I do not deserve to be suspended,_ she chanted silently. Quickly, she shut the door, stealing a glance around the room.

There was only one other occupant, a dark haired boy named Shikamaru. Temari's eyes narrowed in distaste as she momentarily forgot her anxiety.

She marched up and propped a hand on one hip. "What are you doing, Nara?"

He didn't bother to glance away from the window. "Watching clouds go by."

His barely audible reply soothed Temari slightly. Slacker he may be, but troublemaker he was not. The lazy know–it–all had been unwittingly annoying since she entered high school. She didn't talk to him outside of class; they rarely spoke unless assigned to a group project. The boy was _two years_ younger than her and still managed to get significantly better scores on his exams. He deigned to talk only when the conversation was interesting and deemed everything else as 'troublesome.' Temari had been slightly miffed when it was clear that he was barely even aware of her. _Everyone_ knew her. She was the Sabaku family's heir and the elder sister of Sabaku no Gaara, terror of the local Juvenile Correctional Facility. If _he_ couldn't get off his high horse to sneak a look at her once in a while, _she_ wouldn't be any more than civil to him.

Temari felt the urge to grind her teeth at his presence. Just being smart didn't give him license to talk down to people. But she couldn't fault him there; his work habits were impeccable. She was sure he'd be pleasant if she made the effort to be nice to him, but he had never really caught her attention before. Now that she noticed him, she realized that he was probably a better person than she gave him credit for.

Crossing the room, she put her teacher's note into the little box marked 'In' on the office secretary's desk. The woman barely spared a glance for her, typing and occasionally pushing her glasses further up on her nose.

Temari smirked. Setting down her book bag, she slid sideways into a seat and picked out a magazine from the rack. It was just her luck. Though the magazine was an issue of Vogue, it was from three years ago. No one in their private school had any taste or, for that matter, any common sense. She settled for straightening the white blouse and uniform green skirt she wore while checking her makeup in a mirror.

"Sabaku no Temari."

The blonde girl glanced at the open door and kindly smiling eyes. Crap. So the Dean was expecting her. She left her bag on the desk, knowing she could just pick it up when she was done.

The Dean gave her a lecture on etiquette, reminding her that it was against the school's policy to harm other students. She was reprimanded for taking school property and using it to commit violent acts. When she tried to explain her actions, he held up a hand.

"Temari, you are a bright girl. You have almost spotless grades, a kind personality, many friends; do not throw that away on stupidity. If you wish to continue here, you must learn to control your temper. The only reason I am not suspending you now is out of respect for your estimable father, and because this is your first offense. Please take my words to heart. You may spend the remainder of your P.E. period in the waiting room. You are dismissed."

For such a softly spoken man, the Dean could sure push her buttons. Temari ground her teeth over the Dean's blatant reverence of her father, but saved her rage for another time. She strode out of the room, sitting down and ripping open the flap on her book bag.

About halfway through digging for her iPod, she remembered school rules and realized she was acting like a brat. She set her bag back down with a sigh and leaned back, hoping for a quick nap. It irritated her to no end that the high school insisted on using the desks with attached chair. Were people really likely to walk away with a chair or desk in their pocket? It was a disgrace to the intelligence of delinquents everywhere that they even had the ridiculous desks in the Dean's office.

After what seemed like an hour, the Dean's door cracked open again.

"Nara Shikamaru."

Temari's eyes slid to Shika's. The senior shrugged, stretched and pushed away from his chair. She thought she heard him slip in a "Troublesome" as he moved sluggishly across the room.

As the door shut again, Temari rolled her dark green eyes. Hopefully they could get this over with quickly, and she could get some carbs in her body before she fainted. No matter how much weight she wanted to lose, pizza was something she was unwilling to sacrifice. To hell with dieting when she burned nearly five–hundred calories a day at soccer practice alone.

Slumped in an uncomfortable position, she dropped off before long, only to be awakened minutes later by the click of the door.

Shika stuck his arms in his pockets as he trooped back to his seat. "What a waste of time," he muttered, "How troublesome."

Now _that_ was odd. Even if he'd broken some sort of rule, he'd doubtless be logical about it and accept his punishment. "What's troublesome? Why are you in here?"

This time he looked her over critically, as if deciding whether or not she was worth his time. It stroked her ego somewhat that he answered.

"I'm enjoying the Dean's hospitality because I corrected one of Mr. Brian's equations."

Mr. Brian was a brilliant particle–physics professor who was hostile about his supposed pittance of a paycheck. She'd barely passed his classes last year, before she submitted her English Major. She looked at Shikamaru in disbelief. "You corrected him?"

The answer was another gusty sigh. "Look, I wouldn't exactly bother to lie about it when I'm in here. He had solved it incorrectly and I tried to tell him quietly. He got angry, sent me out and requested that the Dean change my class. Apparently I've been holding the class back since the beginning of the year. The Dean said I can stay in here until the end of school. There's only–" he glanced at his watch "–half an hour left anyway." He sighed again and looked out the window again, lacing his fingers behind his head.

Temari received this with no little indignation. "But he was wrong! Doesn't that count for something? You should reject his decision and get something out of his class."

Shikamaru regarded her pensively, interested. "But what would that solve? He would still resent my being in his class and I still need that course to qualify for my teaching credential. What about you? You wouldn't be here, asking me about this, if you hadn't done something wrong. You're not exactly Dean's office material."

She blinked and raised an eyebrow at his assessment of her and chose not to answer. She didn't have to answer, and she wasn't feeling inclined to at the moment. His arguments made sense, and it irked her that he could discuss something that could affect the rest of his life so casually. She felt like being rude. He could be confident and silent for all she cared.

He watched her for a moment, waiting for an answer, before his cellphone buzzed in his pocket. "Hello...? Oh, hey Ino..."

Temari, feigning deafness, felt a sudden and unexpected pang of jealousy. Who was Ino? The voice on the other end was obviously female, and extremely loud. Someone who held Shikamaru's attention, someone interesting, someone beautiful? It was a blow to her confidence, that someone named Pig could capture Shikamaru with relative ease while Temari was left floundering.

She propped her chin on one palm, brushing a spare lock out of her eyes with her other hand. She'd always meant to cut her bangs differently, or let them grow to the length of the rest of her hair, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. Her mother had worn her bangs short. For most of her life, her mother had worn the four blonde ponytails that Temari sported; around the time of her first pregnancy she'd cut it into a blunt bob. That was how Temari remembered her, laughing and holding Kankuro up as they played in the garden around their house. That was when every day had been filled with sunshine, before she'd been pregnant with Gaara, before she'd died...

"...yeah, I understand, Ino. Tell Choji I'm coming over to his house later. Thanks, bye." He snapped the phone shut and stuffed it in his pocket, clearly irritated with something. The silence was so thick that Temari almost felt afraid to breathe. They both jumped when the ten–minute bell rang, signaling that the end was near. Nevertheless, the minutes pressed by before her curiosity finally got the better of her.

"So, who was that?"

Shikamaru grimaced. "Yamanaka Ino, one of the forces of nature. She just called to say that she can't give me a ride home because her mom wants her to work tonight."

Temari didn't want to ask, but she felt compelled to. "Girlfriend?"

Nara leaned back in his chair, setting his sneakers on the desk in the next row. "Ex. She's my best friend's girlfriend."

Temari was slightly sheepish and extremely guilty about asking. "Sorry."

"It's okay. She's a great friend, but she's kind of an airhead. She just wasn't really that into me, except as an accessory. She's better with Choji."

Temari winced.

Again, the silence between them seemed to drag on, pierced only by the constant chatter of the secretary's fingers on her keyboard. What the hell was going on? It had been comfortable enough before she'd asked about the call.

_So does that mean he doesn't have a ride home?_ She glanced at the clock on the wall. There were only a few seconds until the bell rang. This was stupid. She barely knew him; they'd spoken briefly, tersely, about a subject that didn't interest either of them. And she knew she was going to do it.

She breathed in for clarity and out for determination. "Do you need a ride home?"

"Uh, yeah, I guess..." Temari was glad he was staring at the ceiling so he couldn't see her bite her lip. She had offered. _Offered._ When was the last time she'd offered something like that to someone she could barely be polite to? What was wrong with her? And she was about to offer him a ride home! Had the world gone insane?

"I mean, I could drop you off, if you want." Her voice didn't shake, but it was a near thing; especially when he turned his dark eyes on her, one eyebrow quirked in surprise.

"Sure, I guess. Thanks."

He stood up, slinging his backpack over one shoulder in preparation. Temari opened her mouth to say "No problem," but the bell rang. She followed him to the door, straightening her skirt and slipping the strap of her bag over her head.

Students spilled out of the classrooms on either side of the hall. There was barely room to move. Temari shook her head, knowing that they would have no chance of finding each other in the crowd. Holding down a slight blush, she took his hand, guiding him through the halls towards the student parking lot. It was annoying, but he kept bumping into her since he was taller. _Do guys have to have every advantage? He's two years younger, damn it!_

Their clasped hands got much more acquainted than she'd originally bargained for, and by the time they reached the exit, she was biting the inside of her cheek to keep from leaving him in the hallway.

She released his hand quickly, taking long strides towards her car. It was beautiful, in her eyes, a classic model with the original paint job. It had been her grandmother's, but it ran as well as the day Chiyo had bought it.

Temari stroked the convertible's hood fondly as she put her bag in the back seat. She vaulted over the side, ignoring the gleaming door handle. Her cherry red monstrosity was nimble under her careful hands.

Her fingers itching to start the motor, she only remembered at the last moment that she was supposed to be driving Shikamaru home. She looked at him sharply as he struggled with the old style door. Finally, sighing, she reached over and opened it. He flashed her brief grin and got in, placing his bag carefully at his feet. When Temari was sure he had his seatbelt on, she started the motor.

"What's your address?" Her eyes scanned the parking lot as she carefully pulled out, taking care not to hit any pedestrians. "I need to know if you want me to drop you off."

Shikamaru gave it to her and told her how to get there. He was studying the shiny paint job as they started off.

"Is this your car?"

It surprised her that he was initiating conversation. Something must have interested him.

She didn't take her eyes from the road as she answered. "Yeah. I got it from my grandmother. Do you like it?"

"It's a nice car. I was just wondering why you don't drive a newer car."

Was he dismissing her baby as a pile of ancient junk? He'd just crossed a line.

"I love this car. I drive it because I like old cars and it has sentimental value. Do you have a problem with that?"

She knew he would be smirking, even though she was more focused on steering.

"I was just thinking that it suited you. You seem to like stylish things. You like to make an impression, but you're not as extreme as Ino. She wouldn't even consider wearing something unless its number one factor was fashionable. I don't think she'd appreciate your car." He glanced at the streets that sped by. "She drives a yellow hybrid with pink seats. And a GPS."

Temari scowled at the abuse of an automobile and took a left. "Who would make those kinds of choices? My favorite color is purple–" she gestured towards her fluorescent nails "–but that doesn't mean I'm going to paint my car that color. A GPS like that sounds ridiculous. If I want to know where something is, I'll look it up in the Thomas Guide; what's the point of making a map if it's only there for emergencies?"

He laughed and she smiled.

"So, are you going to tell me how you got into Dean's office?"

She glanced over in surprise; she'd hoped he had forgotten her previous silence.

"My P.E. teacher sent me there."

"I meant, why did she send you?"

"Some guy in my class snapped my bra strap and I broke his nose with a baseball bat."

She heard him snort as she turned on to his street and looked for the address he'd given her.

"Hey, he deserved it!"

He didn't stop chuckling. "I'll bet he did."

Temari was surprised to find that she didn't really want him to leave. It was nice to find someone who wasn't interested in her for money or romance. He was intelligent and polite when he liked you, and Temari fervently hoped that he liked her.

A similar train of thought was running through Shikamaru's head. He really liked her. Not for her looks (although he wasn't averse to those) but for her personality. At first she'd seemed conceited, but he supposed she had every right to be. She defended her thoughts even if they weren't planned out. She seemed loyal to her morals and always ready to jump into action. She was, in short, extremely troublesome. And he liked it a lot. He wondered what she thought of him.

Temari smirked when she found the address. The house was nice, with a tree in the front yard that she just _knew_ he'd used for cloud–watching when he was younger. She pulled up and parked next to the curb. "This is your stop, Nara."

He climbed out, careful not to scuff the leather seats. "Thank you, Temari. By the way, my friends call me Shikamaru." He grinned at her.

Temari just smirked. "I'll see you at school, Shikamaru."

She pulled away from the curb and drove down the street, looking in her rearview mirror. Shikamaru was watching her go, a crooked smile on his face.

**Well, I hope you all liked it. I'm sure people were looking for some more serious ShikaTema, but this is what you get. I may do an extension chapter later on, so get a grip on yourself. There is much more to come! I am forcing myself to write for lots of different shippings in lots of different ways, and here are the main contenders.**

***Beware, this list may be edited at any time.***

**The bolded ones have been completed:**

**1. ShikaTema**

2. ShikaIno

3. SasuSaku

4. TemIno

5. SaIno

6. ChojIno

7. NejiTen

8. KankTen

9. ShinoHana

10. NaruHina

11. ItaSaku

12. KonaPein

**If people would be **_**brave enough to comment**_**, then I might get some more suggestions. You can suggest crack pairings as well. Anything and everything is accepted, from het (i.e. Naruto/Sakura) to necrophilia (i.e. Jiraiya/Tsunade).**

**When you comment, please explain if you want angst, fluff or whatnot. Contrary to popular belief, I am not a mind reader.**

**You'll notice GaaSaku is not in that list, though I am a faithful GaaSaku fan. This is because all of my GaaSaku ficlets go into 'The Medic and the Demon,' which you can find on my story page.**

**Do not fear! Every chapter will be submitted as soon as possible, and it will be updated much more frequently since I go on break at the end of this week.**

–**Blue**


	2. Shikamaru & Ino

**12/15/09 – 1/18/10**

**I'll start dating each chapter/edit so that people know when I'm talking about, just in case something hasn't come out in the manga/anime yet. ^^**

**This is just a random collection of Shipping Ficlets between Naruto characters. Some of them will be in the same universe, but I'll deviate depending on my mood.**

–**Blue**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.**

* * *

**Speaking Without Words**

**Chapter 2: ShikaIno**

**by Rachel Poulson**

––––––––––

Ino woke up and almost fell out of bed. The person next to her groaned and turned over, sliding a hand over her stomach. She was aware on some level that she'd enjoyed last night more than most of the nights she'd spent with previous boyfriends. Although her thoughts were murky, she remembered that her partner had been very fervent and extremely intimate with her. But she had no idea what his name was.

This was not going to be a good morning.

She didn't bother to look at who was under her sheets. She slid out from under that warm arm, trying not to jostle the unfortunate boy. Getting to the bathroom was her main priority.

When she'd showered, rinsing the taste of stale alcohol from her mouth, she figured she might as well face up to whatever poor man she'd led on.

_Take deep breaths, Ino,_ her Inner told her. _Whoever it is, I'm sure it'll be absolutely fine. We're beautiful, and he was lucky to get us._

_Says you,_ Ino retorted, _I'm the one who has to tell him that._

_Just because you're trying to wait for–_

_Shut up! We probably wouldn't be in this mess if you hadn't kept begging for a martini last night! For once in our life, just be quite!_

And, for once, Inner was silent.

Outer Ino pulled on her fluffiest purple robe and stepped back into her room.

She was greeted by the sight of Nara Shikamaru shrugging his pants on.

She turned back into the bathroom and slammed the door.

_Shikamaru. _Shikamaru_._

Ino leaned against the bathroom door, eyes dilated as she considered what had probably happened last night. She'd gone to a party at an older friend's frat house; she'd consumed the aforementioned martini at Inner Ino's request; she'd danced with her friends; she'd gone to get something to eat after the party; and apparently she'd brought her best friend home with her.

It was odd that she barely remembered a thing, especially since she could hold her alcohol and was usually lucid enough during one–nighters. Had someone spiked the punch? That was the last time she went to a party at an unknown fraternity. Boys could be such idiots, especially if they felt that "no" was not a satisfying answer.

Who else had gotten some of that punch? Ino felt sudden fear for Sakura, who had shared the same cup. Would she be waking up with a stranger? Was she okay?

A quick check of her phone revealed a text message from her exuberant friend that made Ino sigh in relief.

_To: Yamanaka Ino_

_From: Haruno Sakura_

_Hey, Ino!_

_Fun nite, huh?_

_I thnk pnch ws wrd, bt the fd ws grt!_

_Btw, me&UchSas 4vr!!!_

_We dncd & he drov me hm!_

_YAY! Wut abt u? Txt me back, pig!_

–_Sakura_

At least Sakura hadn't gotten enough of the punch to matter, or she was attributing it to general giddiness. Ino shook her head at her friend's naivety. The world could end outside her window and she'd politely ask everyone to be quiet.

A thought occurred to Ino that made her blood run cold. Maybe Shikamaru had gotten some of the punch too, and the only reason he'd come back with her was that he'd been under the influence. Would he even remember who he'd slept with? He would know immediately whose room he was in, even if the events of last night were as blurry to him.

Ino swore to commit suicide if he regretted it.

Taking a deep breath, and squaring her shoulders in preparation, Ino reached for the doorknob. To her surprise, it moved under her fingers. The door opened and a bare chested Shikamaru leaned against the doorframe.

"Morning, Ino. You sleep okay?"

She stared, agape at his statement. His expression turned to worry, brow creasing as he folded his arms across his chest. "Are you alright?"

Ino nodded, trying to stop the paralysis that was spreading though her limbs. He _remembered._ Was he okay with it? Had the world gone mad as she sipped that alcohol?

"I, um, well, I just..." She flushed, knowing that she made no sense at all.

Shikamaru sighed and ran his fingers through his dark hair, which was still loose from its usual band. "We should go eat something. Does your house have any food?"

Ino's baby blue eyes widened and she yelped. "My parents! What am I going to tell them?"

Shika shrugged. "I passed your mom on my way to get a glass of water last night and she just smiled at me. I think I heard her singing as I went back up the stairs, but I might be wrong..." He shrugged again. "I don't think there's any problem."

Ino's forehead creased. "But don't you have a problem with this?" She gestured towards his shirtless form and her short robe.

Shikamaru gave her a weird look. "No. Do you?"

Ino felt close to tears, her confusion growing by the minute. Had he gotten some of the punch? Did he remember? Was their friendship going to be awkward from now on?

"How can you be okay?" She felt herself start to cry.

"What's going on? I barely even remember last night, and then I wake up and you're here and you're acting like nothing happened, but I'm not sure if nothing did happen so that's what I have a problem with because it probably says in the best friend handbook that you're not allowed to sleep together if you're drunk–"

She hiccupped and Shikamaru leaned forward brushing his lip across her cheek, kissing away the tear that had slipped from the corner of her eye. She looked up, startled and he pulled her into a hug.

"I was irrational last night," he murmured into her thick blonde hair, stroking it absentmindedly. She felt herself shaking, palms pressed against his bare skin. She could feel his heart beating.

"I could tell that something was wrong; there was definitely something in those drinks other than alcohol. But when I offered to drive you home and you leaned over and kissed me–" he sighed gustily, squeezing her for a second. "I don't know what came over me. I just couldn't seem to stop..." He pulled away slightly to look at Ino's face, seemingly wary of what he would find.

"Are you okay with us?" He asked, still holding her eyes in his own.

_This is what we wanted!_ Ino's Inner screamed. _Oh my god! One up for the big guns!_

Ino nodded jerkily, sobs dying in her throat.

Shikamaru grinned, releasing every part of her but her hands. "You said you don't remember a lot about last night, right? Things are a little blurry for me too."

Ino blushed. "I just remember the party and the drinks... then waking up here."

Shikamaru stroked her neck with a callus thumb, his fingers catching in her damp hair.

"Then maybe we should try again." He kissed her shoulder, wrapping his arms around her waist.

Ino sighed into his collarbone, letting her fingers run through his thick brown hair.

"I've waited a long time for this," she whispered, and felt his rumble of agreement as he pushed her against her bathroom door. "I hope you understand how troublesome I am."

Shikamaru's mouth brushed her ear. "You're so troublesome it's not funny. But I'm willing to be troubled a lot if it means you get to be mine." He let his teeth graze her earlobe, eliciting a gasp.

Sometimes friendship wasn't enough.

* * *

**Well, I hope you all liked it. There is much more to come! The main contenders for shipping are right here.**

***Beware, this list may be edited at any time.***

**The bolded ones have been completed:**

**1. ShikaTema**

**2. ShikaIno**

3. SasuSaku

4. TemIno

5. SaIno

6. ChojIno

7. NejiTen

8. KankTen

9. ShinoHana

10. NaruHina

11. ItaSaku

12. KonaPein

**If people would be **_**brave enough to comment**_**, then I might get some more suggestions. You can suggest crack pairings as well. Anything and everything is accepted, from het (i.e. Naruto/Sakura) to necrophilia (i.e. Jiraiya/Tsunade). XD**

**When you comment, please explain if you want angst, fluff or whatnot. Contrary to popular belief, I am not a mind reader.**

**You'll notice GaaSaku is not in that list, though I am a faithful GaaSaku fan. This is because all of my GaaSaku ficlets go into 'The Medic and the Demon,' which you can find on my story page.**

**Do not fear! Every chapter will be submitted as soon as possible, and it will be updated much more frequently since I go on break at the end of this week.**

–**Blue**


	3. Sasuke & Sakura

**1/18/10 – 1/19/10**

**This is just a random collection of Shipping Ficlets between Naruto characters. Some of them will be in the same universe, but I'll deviate depending on my mood.**

–**Blue**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.**

* * *

**Speaking Without Words**

**Chapter 3: SasuSaku**

**by Rachel Poulson**

––––––––––

Sakura glared at him and he glared back.

She just had to be in the same therapy group as the asshole who had ruined her high school life. What a great way to start. Then, to top it off, they were the only two from their group who had showed up for the first meeting, _including_ the therapist himself. Things were not going well.

Their glowering contest had been going on for almost five minutes of their two hour session. It was a stalemate.

Finally, Sasuke sighed and pulled a cell phone out of his back pocket. He started texting. The insolent _bastard_ started texting. Who texts during a group therapy session? Sakura shifted uncomfortably in her seat, aware of the mental distance between them. He'd left without a word, joining the Marines the night of Prom. He'd left her there on the most important night of her high school life, selfishly, without any sort of warning that _Oh, by the way, I might leave tonight and not talk to you for another two years, so make sure you have a ride other than me._ What a complete _jerk_.

Sakura checked her watch. They were ten minutes in, with no signs of life from the closed swinging doors. The therapy room was comfortably furnished with couches and cushioned chairs, but she was in no mood to enjoy it. Their original conversation had been short, terse, and completely unsatisfactory in relieving the tension.

––––––––––

"_Why are you here?" His cold voice made the years just melt away._

_She sucked in an angry breath. "I threw a chair at a nurse who deliberately gave a patient the wrong medicine. And you?"_

_He paused, judging her with those dark eyes._

"_I'm a cop now. I shot my brother last week. He was a serial killer."_

_Each continued glaring as though nothing could ever change._

––––––––––

Sakura waited another two minutes before she snapped, striding over to where he sat, backhanding him to get his attention.

With his onyx eyes fixed on her, she sneered at his slightly puzzled anger. "Hey bastard. Don't you have something to say to me?"

His eyes narrowed marginally. "No."

She balled her fists, snarling wordlessly.

––––––––––

Sakura sighed.

Their screaming match had ended the way their arguments always ended; vicious, passionate sex. Sasuke had locked them both in the closet, and Sakura was pretty sure their first hour was coming to a close. She checked her watch just to be certain.

"We have _so_ got problems."

He looked up from his cell phone; he'd started texting again afterwards, just like old times. "You've got problems."

She glared at him. "What, so you came in here expecting hot sex with your ex?"

He raised his eyebrows. "I was just talking about the part where you scratched my ribs; they'll probably leave marks."

Sakura pursed her lips. "Right. And the hickeys you gave me will fade right away? My boyfriend is going to be so upset if he finds out... I'll have to pretend to be sick."

"Boyfriend?" Sasuke sat up, shutting his phone with a click.

Sakura nodded absentmindedly; she was too busy imagining what kind of sickness could be heavily developed in two hours.

"So who is he?"

She glanced up; was he overly curious? Then again, he probably had the right to know whose girlfriend he had just slept with.

"Naruto."

"_He's your boyfriend?"_

She looked up in surprise, letting go of the bracelet she'd been fiddling with.

"Yeah. We've been going steady for a while, but I think he's cheating on me with Hinata..."

Sasuke smothered a laugh. "We really have got problems."

Sakura sighed, fingering the bracelets she'd just careful put back on.

"Do you want to go again?"

––––––––––

"I'msorryI'msorryI'msorry, I swear I didn't mean to knock you out, I'm so sorry, I promise–"

"That was really hot."

"Do you think so?"

––––––––––

Sakura pulled her shirt back over her head, aware that they had only a few minutes before the next therapy group came in. Sasuke tightened his belt, checking the cuffs on his sleeves before putting his red tie around his neck.

He smirked when she reached up to tie it. "I think I could stand a few more sessions."

She raised an eyebrow. "I don't think you can handle it."

"Try me."

* * *

**Well, I hope you all liked it. There is much more to come! The main contenders for shipping are right here.**

***Beware, this list may be edited at any time.***

**The bolded ones have been completed:**

**1. ShikaTema**

**2. ShikaIno**

**3. SasuSaku**

4. TemIno

5. SaIno

6. ChojIno

7. NejiTen

8. KankTen

9. ShinoHana

10. NaruHina

11. ItaSaku

12. KonaPein

**If people would be **_**brave enough to comment**_**, then I might get some more suggestions. You can suggest crack pairings as well. Anything and everything is accepted, from het (i.e. Naruto/Sakura) to necrophilia (i.e. Jiraiya/Tsunade). XD**

**When you comment, please explain if you want angst, fluff or whatnot. Contrary to popular belief, I am not a mind reader.**

**You'll notice GaaSaku is not in that list, though I am a faithful GaaSaku fan. This is because all of my GaaSaku ficlets go into 'The Medic and the Demon,' which you can find on my story page.**

**Do not fear! Every chapter will be submitted as soon as possible, and it will be updated much more frequently since I go on break at the end of this week.**

–**Blue**


	4. Neji & Hinata

**2/15/10 - 3/20/10**

**This is just a random collection of Shipping Ficlets between Naruto characters. Some of them will be in the same universe, but I'll deviate depending on my mood.**

–**Blue**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.**

* * *

**Speaking Without Words**

**Chapter 4: NejiHina**

**by Rachel Poulson**

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Hinata greeted her cousin pleasantly, trying not to blush as he bowed formally in return. Neji nodded in Hanabi's direction, going to talk to his friends rather than be harassed by main house members.

Among the non-Hyuugas present was Uzumaki Naruto. Hinata's heart had nearly stopped when she'd realized she could invite him to this cherry blossom viewing. She still blushed whenever he looked at her, and she had made sure that ramen was on the menu for tonight's banquet dinner.

The party was in honor of Sakura, who had announced her pregnancy barely three months in her marriage. Sasuke had had recurring nightmares about pink haired boys until his wife had informed him that the gene was recessive, meaning his child most likely have black or brown hair, like Sasuke's parents. He'd replied that _she_ had turned out with pink hair, and she had reminded him rather violently that whatever color the baby's hair was, they would love the hell out of it. He had eventually submitted on the grounds that there was always hair dye.

Tenten, in a formal kimono pattered with silver butterflies tried fruitlessly to gain Neji's attention for the better part of the evening, going so far as to "accidentally" bump into him now and then. He was trying frantically to ignore her, but the famous Hyuuga complexion did nothing to help his cherry-red blush.

On one of the terraces, Yamanaka Ino was chatting happily with her fiancé Sai. Their unusual marriage had been arranged so that Sai, having no last name or associated clan, would be adopted into the Yamanaka Clan. When Sai had first proposed the union to her father, a strange expression had stolen over Inoichi's face as he contemplated "ink seals to surround our soldiers during mind-transfer jutsus." Ino had eventually consented to an early wedding in the face of her father's unstoppable eagerness.

It seemed liked spring was the season for marriage, regardless of the hammering rain storms that had pounded Konoha for weeks. Even Shino had broken down and proposed to Inuzuka Hana, the first person to reveal her own collection of bugs. Live bugs. The rest of the clan was not amused to find that she bred fleas intentionally.

Everyone had someone. Why was Hinata still alone? Kiba had made his intentions quite clear, and Naruto made up for his delayed feelings with his enthusiasm. They just needed some motivation.

Someone coughed slightly behind the clan leader, and she got the feeling that he'd been trying to get her attention for some time. Hinata blushed profusely and apologized to Neji, who waved it off.

"Please come with me, Hinata-sama."

Slightly mollified by his usual extreme formality, she followed him into a quieter room used for clan meetings. "What is this about? Is something wrong, Neji-sama?" She laid a hand on his shoulder, noticing that he shivered slightly at her touch.

Then he turned, his eyes full of some unnamable emotion. "Hinata-sama, the clan elders have made it clear to me that they wish for us to marry." He looked down. "To preserve the bloodline and keep the byakugan strong."

Inside Hinata could feel her heart turning to ice. Marry her own cousin. Marry Neji. She felt sick, and she could barely meet his eyes.

"They have sworn that they would eradicate the use of the Caged Bird Seal if I was under their thumbs." He swallowed. "I do not wish for my children to suffer as I have."

There was a long, tense moment. Eventually, the kunoichi looked into her cousin's identical eyes. "You would have us marry?"

He didn't respond. She understood his predicament, but how could she agree to something so heinous?

She opened her mouth to say that the clan elders could shove it, when Neji cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. She fell silent, a deathly chill creeping over her fingertips and through her lungs.

No.

NO.

When he released her, she stumbled away, hands over her mouth in horror. Never. Never in a million years, for a thousand seals, would she kiss those frigid lips that were meant for someone else. She felt sick to her core, traitorous to both Tenten and Naruto. She stared mutely as Neji, hands shaking as he brushed his fingertips over his lips.

He shook his head abruptly. "I cannot go through with it. You are meant to be with that blonde idiot and I..." he took a deep breath, standing a little straighter, "...I am meant for another."

Trying to quell the sense of pain and sickness that stymied through her every nerve, Hinata decided that enough was enough. "I agree. I do not care what the clan elders say. I will never allow a human being to be caged-" she shuddered "-again. Tomorrow I will announce my decision. The seal-release jutsu will be common knowledge by the end of the week."

Hinata bowed once more and fled from the cramped room. She needed to speak with someone, anyone, to babble away her feelings. It was just her luck that Naruto saw her first as she wandered through the Hyuuga grounds.

"Are you okay, Hina-chan? If Neji-san said anything mean I'll break his face for you-" she reached up and ran her fingers through his rich blonde hair effectively silencing him as she regained her composure. Finally, Hinata sighed and rested her palms on his chest, glad that they were away from the main party. "Kiss me." She shut her eyes as he leaned down to comply.

It was warm and chaste, completely unlike the kiss she'd just endured. That was a kiss she could wake up to, live for...

When Naruto broke away at last, he shook his head and grinned brilliantly. "Let's get back to the party, okay?" He took her hand when she nodded, leading her along the lantern-lined path.

She wanted this. She wanted to be free. But she would never forget her promise to Neji, or the cold harsh kiss that had stained her lips.

* * *

**Well, I hope you all liked it. There is much more to come! The main contenders for shipping are right here.**

***Beware, this list may be edited at any time.***

**The bolded ones have been completed:**

**1. ShikaTema**

**2. ShikaIno**

**3. SasuSaku**

**4. NejiHina**

5. TemIno

6. SaIno

7. ChojIno

8. NejiTen

9. KankTen

10. ShinoHana

11. NaruHina

12. ItaSaku

13. KonaPein

**If people would be **_**brave enough to comment**_**, then I might get some more suggestions. Crack pairings too, from het (i.e. Naruto/Sakura) to necrophilia (i.e. Jiraiya/Tsunade).**

**When you comment, please note if you want angst, fluff or whatnot. Contrary to popular belief, I am not a mind reader.**

–**Blue**


	5. Hanabi & Hinata

**04/06/10**

**This chapter was requested by Anaomys. Sorry if it's not quite what you hoped since I've never really written a lemon before. I hope you like it anyway, and thanks for commenting. *hug***

–**Blue**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

* * *

**

**Speaking Without Words**

**Chapter 5: HanaHina**

**by Rachel Poulson**

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The clan meeting commenced as the summer sun began its slow descent. Hyuuga Hiashi sat at one end of the table, his daughters on his right, as the Elders gave brief reports of the week's events: orphaned triplets with the Byakugan would be placed in Neji's care until they entered the Academy; a young girl had been made a chunnin for killing a nuke-nin with her bare hands; the groundskeepers expected a full bloom of lilacs this year.

Hinata and Hanabi listened with little interest. Hanabi seemed content to stare at a spot on the wall opposite her, while Hinata tried frantically to stop a blush from flooding her cheeks as her sister's hand curled further around her knee.

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_Stumbling drunkenly, giggling, groping in vain for the light switch. Lips accidentally brushing in the dark. A pause. Deliberation. Trembling hands that elicited gasps. Silken clothing dropping hesitantly to the floor of Hinata's room. The whisper of skin touching with sudden clumsy thirst._

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Hinata had to swallow, remembering. Shooting a glance at Hanabi, she caught the smirk covering her sister's perfect features. This time she couldn't stop the color that stained her cheeks. In response, Hanabi's tapered fingertips ghosted across the inside of her thigh.

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"_Hinata-chan..."_

"_Y-yes, Hanabi?"_

"_Right here, right?"_

"_Ah! Hana-chi!"_

"_Hina-chan... I love... the way... you taste..."_

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Hinata's head snapped up, drawing her father's attention.

"Hinata, do you have something to add before this meeting draws to a close?" His eyes observed his eldest child coolly.

"No, father. I do not." She silently thanked years of exposure to Naruto, which had kept her nervous stutter in check. He nodded and attended once more to the Elders.

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"That meeting took far too long," Hanabi whispered, pinning her sister to the bed. Silently, Hinata nodded her agreement, feeling her younger sister's hands slide down her sides and over her bellybutton.

Smoky hair twined with indigo as Hanabi let her head drop down to the crook of her sister's neck. It was almost surreal, the way their porcelain skin and pearl colored eyes matched, one body to the next. Two perfectly fitted pieces, like a jigsaw.

Hanabi slowly kissed her way down Hinata's torso, feeling the older girl wriggle under her attentions. She was close, so close... Hinata felt her sister dip her head and then everything went white.

"_Hana!"_

She stiffened and panted, skin slick with sweat. Hanabi lay down beside her, pressing their bodies together until they fit seamlessly. Hinata wanted to scream and cry at the same time. The younger girl wiped her sister's bangs out of her eyes, smiling softly at her expression. It was only this beautiful on Hinata, she was sure.

The Hyuuga heiress lifted their linked hands, turning over the digits before sitting up. She desperately wanted to repay all that Hanabi had given her. Hinata wrapped her legs around the slimmer girl, whispering in her ear. "Do you like this? Or is it this one...?"

Hanabi felt her toes curl and her eyes roll upwards. She moaned breathily, but the only one who heard was Hinata, busy matching lips to perfect lips.

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Hanabi awoke in her sister's arms, held in a tight embrace that offered some resistance as she attempted to sit up. Once she had struggled out of Hinata's hold, she looked down at the sleeping chunin.

Deep blue hair fanned out like ray from the sun as she slept. Hanabi drank in the sight; a fiercely glowing determination, pride in her accomplishments, indescribably painful beauty. Briefly Hanabi wondered if Hinata saw the same traits in her.

Sighing deeply and breathing in Hinata's faint scent of cinnamon, Hanabi let her hands rest on Hinata's voluptuous chest, immediately causing her to stir. "Hanabi? Is something wrong?" Hanabi leaned down and nuzzled the crook of her sister's neck, humming quietly.

"Nee-chan..." she murmured, feeling Hinata arch luxuriously into her.

The older girl smiled into the plush kiss she received. "Sounds like someone's not tired. Do we need to train to tire you out?" She sounded half amused, half aroused in her sleepy state.

The brunette smirked superiorly. "I think our 'training' will tire you out more than me."

Hinata shrugged, pulling her younger counterpart down for a kiss. "That's a risk I'm willing to take."

* * *

**Well, I hope you liked it. Here's what's to come:**

***Beware, this list may be edited at any time.***

**The bolded ones have been completed:**

**1. ShikaTema**

**2. ShikaIno**

**3. SasuSaku**

**4. NejiHina**

**5. HanaHina**

6. TemIno

7. SaIno

8. ChojIno

9. NejiTen

10. KankTen

11. ShinoHana

12. NaruHina

13. ItaSaku

14. KonaPein

**If people would be **_**brave enough to comment**_**, then I might get some more suggestions. You can suggest crack pairings as well. Anything and everything is accepted, from het (i.e. Naruto/Sakura) to necrophilia (i.e. Jiraiya/Tsunade). XD**

**When you comment, please note if you want angst, fluff or whatnot. Contrary to popular belief, I am not a mind reader.**

–**Blue**


End file.
